Chapter 13: The Man with Two Face/ End of First Year
Harry POV
"You!" I gasped at the purple-turbaned man.
His face contorted to a wicked smile as Y/N scowled once more.
"Me." he said. "I wondered whether I'd be meeting you here, Potter. Didn't expect Lovegood to be here though."
"You're not stuttering." Y/N says. "You're the true thief Snape mentioned."
"But I thought," I began. "Snape..."
"Severus?" Quirrell laughed as he spoke, no longer stuttering as often. " He does seem the type, doesn't he? So useful to have him swooping around like an overgrown bat. Next to him, who would suspect p-p-poor st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell?"
I couldn't take it, but Snape was away acting like it. He truly acted evil.
"But Snape tried to kill me!" I yelled.
"No, no, no. I tried to kill you." He said. "Lovegood and his little girlfriend Miss Granger accidentally knocked me over as they rushed to set fire to Snape at that Quidditch match. They broke my eye contact with you. Few more seconds and I'd have got you off that broom. I'd have managed it before then if Snape hadn't been muttering a countercurse, trying to save you."
I was truly astonished at what he said. "Snape was trying to save me?"
"Of course." Qurriell said. "It was a waste of time and Dumbledore was always around watching, even after the troll I let loose-"
A bolt of lighting was shot from behind me toward Qurriell, who easily dodged and looked back at me. I turned around to see Y/N aiming his wand towards Qurriell ready to attack him with hate in his eyes and an angry expression on his face.
"YOU LET THAT MONSTER NEARLY KILL MY BEST FRIEND AND MY SISTER!" He shouted.
Qurriell snapped his fingers and ropes sprang out and wrapped themselves around the both of us. "You're both too nosy to live. Scurrying around the school on Halloween like that, for all I knew you'd seen me coming to look at what was guarding the stone. I have a gift with trolls, you saw the troll in the bathroom. Snape had already suspected me, went straight to the third floor to head me off and not only did my troll fail to kill you, Potter, but that dog didn't manage to bite Snape's leg off properly." He was right in front of us as he was talking on and on about his plan.
"Hey Quirrell, for someone who was faking a stutter, you really talk too much." Y/N said as he got his attention. "Guess no-one wanted to hear you go on and on about your damn iguana, you connard." (Translation: Y/N basically called Quirrell a bastard in French).
"Ahh, the Lovegood boy, a Gryffindor through and through." Quirrell said. "My master would be very pleased to meet you. Seeing as he was the one who killed your father."
"Now wait quietly, you both." Quirrell commanded the both of us. "I need to examine this interesting mirror."
He turned around to something I never thought I would see again. Y/N gasped as he saw what Quirrell was trying to look into. It was the Mirror of Erised.
"This mirror is the key to finding the Stone." Quirrell muttered. "Trust Dumbledore to come up with something like this...but he's in London...I'll be far away by the time he gets back."
'He really does like to talk too much.' I thought. Then it came to me. I looked to Y/N and as he looked to me, I could tell he just read my mind.
'We have to keep him talking!'
"Snape...always suspected me all along. Tried to frighten me -- as though he could, when I had Lord Voldemort on my side..."
"Voldemort, eh?" Y/n called out. "He was the one who mentally attacked me, right? My sister felt it too when he did."
Quirrell ignored him and still looked in the mirror, muttering to himself.
"I see the Stone...I'm presenting it to my master...but where is it?"
"But Snape always seemed to hate me so much." I said, which did grab his interest.
"Oh, he does." Quirrell began. "Heavens yes. He was at Hogwarts with your and Lovegood's parents, didn't you know? Lovegood's father didn't have a problem with him, but your father loathed him and Snape did the same. But he never wanted you dead."
Y/N just stared at him, not saying a single word to Qurriell. Just giving the man a cold, dead stare.
"But in the library, We heard you sobbing-- I thought Snape was threatening you." I said.
Quirrel's face switched from his smirk and fear glazed his face. "Sometimes," He said. "I find it hard to follow my master's instructions --He is a great wizard and I am weak."
Y/N stopped staring and started laughing. "Voldemort? Great?" He snapped. "He got defeated by Harry when he was an infant! If anything, he's the weak one!"
"You mean he was in the classroom with you?" I asked.
"He is with me wherever I go." Qurriell said with an ounce of fear. "I met him when I traveled around the world. A foolish young man I was then, full of ridiculous ideas about good and evil. Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong I was. There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it... Since then I have served him faithfully, although I have let him down many times. He has had to be very hard on me."
"He does not forgive mistakes easily. When I failed to steal the Stone from Gringotts, he was most displeased. He punished me... decided he would have to keep a closer watch on me..."
"Well, Qurriell, you may be right in a sense..." Y/N began. "But those with power who choose to kill and murder for bad reasons, They are shown to be evil."
Y/N POV
"Quiet, Lovegood!" Qurriell shouted as I turned back to my cold stare.
"I don't understand... is the Stone inside the mirror? Should I break it?"
I could hear Harry's thoughts run through my head as Qurriell put more focus on the mirror and less on us. Harry did know I could hear him and he continued on.
'What we want more than anything else in the world at the moment is to find the Stone before Quirrell does. So if we look in the mirror, we should see ourselves finding it!'
'Which means we'll see where it's hidden!' I thought back, allowing Harry to hear me too. 'But how can we look without Quirrel realizing what we're up to?'
"What does this mirror do?" Quirrell pondered. "How does it work, Master!"
What came next really hurt. An unseen voice, the same one I heard back in the forest was back, and his voice was still as haunting as ever. It made my head blaze even more with pain, even more with Qurriell in the way.
"Use them." The voice called out. My head was still hurting and I started to sweat profusely. Harry turned his head around as he heard the voice, but couldn't find the source.
"Come here, Lovegood! Now!" Quirrell called out. I walked down the stairs, holding my hand with my left hand and made my way toward the mirror.
As I looked in, the mirror's reflection had looked the same until I saw myself.
The same older me from Christmas. Except this time, he was standing next to me instead of in front of me.
He was dressed the same the last time I saw him, but he now smiled at me. He now also wore nice glasses, kind of like the ones Harry had.
He looked to his left and the same older Hermione came back and joined older me as they both stood behind me. Older me then put his hand on my shoulder as I looked up to him. He looked to Hermione and back to me and nodded. Older Hermione then reached into her pocket and pulled out a glistening red ruby.
The Philosopher's Stone.
She then placed the stone in my relfection's jacket pocket. I felt something drop in my pocket in reality and stared back. Hermione smiled, kneeled down and kissed my head before she and older me went away.
"What is it?" An irritated Quirrell asked. "What did you see?"
I looked to Qurriell and looked back at the mirror. "I saw my father." I lied. "He said he was proud of me and my sister." It wasn't really a lie, since I saw him the first time I looked into the mirror, but I had to keep the other thing I saw to my sister and myself.
"Ugh, pathetic." Qurriell grumbled which made me scowl. "Now you, Potter!"
As Harry made his way towards the Mirror, our eyes met with each other and the small grin I had on my face told Harry all he needed to know mentally and physically.
'I have the Stone.'
Harry then looked into the mirror and continued to stare into it. From what I can hear from his thoughts, the mirror had seemed to confirm what I said.
"Potter! What did you see?" Qurriell asked again impatiently.
"I-I'm shaking hands with Dumbledore. I've won the House Cup."
"THEY LIE." The voice boomed as my head began to hurt even more. God, I'm starting to hate this.
"TELL THE TRUTH!" Quirrell yelled at Harry. "WHAT DO YOU SEE!?"
"Let me speak to them."
Harry backed away as Qurriell spoke aloud. "Master, you are not strong enough."
"I have enough strength for this."
Qurriell then took his hands to his turban, put his back toward the mirror and started to unwrap it. Harry walked backwards until he was standing shoulder to shoulder with me. Qurriell continued to unwrap the turban, but it continued to cover the back of his head. Eventually, he did move it out of the way, revealing the weirdest thing of all time.
A pale, chalky white face was on the back of his head. Scary and ominous completed it's image.
"Harry Potter. Y/N Lovegood." The face said. "We meet again."
"Voldemort." We said in unison.
"Yes. You see what I've become? See what I must do to survive? Live off another, a mere parasite. Unicorn Blood can sustain me, but it cannot give me a body of my own. But there is something that can, something that, conveniently enough, lies in your pocket, Y/N."
Ah, merde.
"Run!" Harry shouted.
"Stop him." The face commanded Quirrell, who snapped his fingers quickly, causing walls of fire to block all the exits, trapping us inside with Voldemort and Qurriell.
"Don't be fools, boys!" Voldemort shouted. "Why suffer a horrific death when you can join me and live?!"
"WAS THAT WHAT YOU TOLD MY FATHER WHEN YOU KILLED HIM?!?" I yelled at the top of my lungs.
"NEVER!" Harry shouted.
Voldemort scoffed. "Bravery. Your parents and your father had it too. Tell me, boys, would you like to see them again? Together, we can bring them back."
In the Mirror, I saw Langden again. He shook his head, telling me to refuse.
"All I ask is something in return." I put my hand in my jacket, looking to feel for the Stone to make sure it was there, and sure enough it was. I pulled out the ruby from the pocket, looking at it as Voldemort grinned.
"That's it, Y/N. There is no good and evil. There is only power, and those too weak to seek it. Together, we'll do extraordinary things. I can teach you about your power. Just give me the Stone!"
My father faded from the mirror as Harry looked to me, since I was still holding the stone. In a mere instant, I pushed the stone back into my pocket, replaced it with my wand, held it to Qurriell and Voldemort.
"No." I said.
"You liar!" Harry shouted at them both. "You'd kill us the second you laid your hands on it!"
"Kill them!"
Qurriell obeyed his master's orders and flew to us, grabbing us both by our necks.
He can fly now?!
Yes, he can fly now.
The Stone fell out of my pocket as we were pushed back to the wall. Quirrell spotted it, but couldn't grab it as he would let one of us go at the same time. I took my free hand and brought it up to Qurriell's arm to hopefully loosen his grip around my neck. Harry saw what I did and proceeded to do the same.
Qurriell's grip did not just seem to loosen, but his hands disintegrated from our combined touch.
"Ahh! Ahh!" Quirrell shouted as he backed away. "What is this magic!?"
"Fool!" The face yelled. "Get the Stone!"
Quirrell walked back to us, where we touched his face with our hands causing Quirrel to scream in pain while Voldemort winced. Quirrell's face was now burned and sinched as if he had a third degree burn. Harry looked down at his hands and went to grab the Stone while I continued to burn him with my touch.
Quirrell's body then dropped to the floor, which now turned to ash and dust. I fell on my back and supported myself with my hand as Harry watched Quirrell's body dissipate. Dust clouds now rose from the ash, forming Voldemort's face which let out a scream as it rushed to us. As he flew through me, I feel to the ground with a thud as I lost consciousness.
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I slowly opened my eyes as I found myself in a hospital bed, almost like the time the troll broke my arm. As I regained focus, I found many presents and candy next to me. I must have been here for a couple days, I think? To my left, I saw Harry, who was resting peacefully in his bed. His glasses were off to the side and he had presents and candy too.
"Good afternoon, Y/N." A voice to my right said, which startled me revealing themselves to be Dumbledore and to his right, my mother.
"Oh my goodness, Y/N. Are you okay?" Mum said as she caressed my cheeks and did her motherly checkup as if I was sick.
"Yeah, Mum, I'm okay." I said as I looked back at her. "Although this arm has been through crap."
"Language!" She scolded.
"Sorry, mum."
"It's fine, I'll let you off this once." Mum said with a smile. "I have to talk with Professor Dumbledore, so I will come back in a bit, okay?"
Addison POV
Dumbledore led me outside of the hospital and I followed, where hopefully Y/N wouldn't hear this. I don't want him or Lana to know until they were older.
"It has been a long time since we talked, Addison." Dumbledore said with a sparkle in his half-mooned glasses as he looked to my hands. "You haven't taken off your wedding ring, I see."
"Divorced women take them off. Widowed women don't." I answered.
"You miss Langden, don't you?" He asked me.
"Of course I do." I said. "He was my husband, the love of my life. He was so happy when Y/N and Lana were born, he was so excited to be a father."
Tears were coming out of my eyes as Dumbledore took a handkerchief and wiped them off my cheeks.
"I miss him too." He said. "Everytime I see Y/N or Lana, I'm always reminded of you and him. They know you were raised here, McGonagall told them."
I chuckled. "How's Mum doing anyway? She hasn't been hard on the twins right?"
"Of course, she hasn't. But only when she has to" Dumbledore said with a small smile. "She always talked about them when it was just me and her in my office, always proud of them. Always proud of you as well."
"Of course, Father." I said. "I do really miss this place."
"Y/N and Lana... do they know about their true heritage?" He asked.
"No. I couldn't tell them that." I answered. "They can't know yet, especially with this situation they've been through. I have to tell them when they're ready, Father."
"I understand, Addison." Dumbledore acknowledged. "I do think of them both as my grandson and granddaughter, even if they don't know."
I smiled at that. "I think they'll like that too." I said.
"One more thing though," I asked. "The other boy in there with Y/N... That's Lily and James' son, right? Harry?"
"Oh yes, I assumed you would recognize him." Dumbledore said. "After all, you and Lily were very close during your time here, yes?"
"Almost like sisters." I said. "She said her sister, Petunia, hated that she was a witch, so over the years, I began to think of her as a sister. I even asked her if she wanted to be godmother to the twins when they were born and she was over the world. Y/N and Lana would've loved her if she was here. At least they know her son. I miss her as much as I miss Langden." I looked back at the door. Lily may not be here, but her son is. I bet that Y/N and Lana are just as close with him as I was with Lily.
Y/N POV
Harry and I were still in the hospital watching Madam Pomfrey at work. Dumbledore did come in and tell us what happened after Quirrell died and Voldemort knocked us out. He did talk with Flamel and they have arranged for the Stone to be destroyed. He and his wife had enough to settle their affairs and eventually they will pass away. It did sound a bit sad to hear it but at least Voldemort won't come back.
My mum and Lana did come in and she did tell us about our dad and what happened. She had also revealed that not only McGonagall raised her here, but Dumbledore had adopted her and became her father and hence, he became our grandfather, which was quite cool. She did avoid the topic of her biological parents since she didn't want to tell us yet, so we didn't bother asking again.
Madam Pomfrey did usher everyone out so we could recover after a while. She is a nice woman, but very, very strict. We were trying to ask her to let our friends in so they could talk to Harry and I.
"Just five minutes." Harry and I pleaded.
"Absolutely not."
"You let Professor Dumbledore, my Mum and my sister in..." I said.
"Those were your family members, Mr. Lovegood, quite different. You both need rest!"
"We are resting, look, lying down and everything. Oh, go on, Madam Pomfrey..."
"Oh, very well," The nurse gave up. "But five minutes only."
She went to the door to let Hermione, Ron and Lana in. Lana ran up to me and engulfed me in a massive hug.
"Sis, You just saw me a couple hours ago." I said, even though I returned the hug.
"I know, but I really wanted to hug you." Lana said. "I was worried sick when you and Harry were put in here!"
As Lana let go of me, Hermione then ran up to me and hugged me even more tightly than Lana's and buried her head in my shoulders.
"I'm so glad you both are ok!" She cried out. "We were sure you were going to -- Dumbeldore was so worried--" She then went back to hugging me as I returned it too.
"The whole school's talking about it." Ron said as he side-hugged Harry on his side. "What really happened?"
And we told them everything, how it was Quirrell and not Snape, the mirror (Not all of the mirror story, of course.), what was under Quirrell's turban and how we stopped Voldemort from returning. As we got to the part of Quirrel having Voldemort's face on the back of his head, Hermione grasped my hand tightly.
"So the Stone's gone?" Ron asked. "Flamel's just going to die?
"Professor Dumbledore did say they have enough elixir to settle their affairs, but he also said, 'to the well-organized mind, death is but the next adventure.'"
"I always knew he was off his rocker." Ron said. "Listen, you both have to be up for the end-of year feast tomorrow. The points are all in and Slytherin won of course." As Harry heard that, he scoffed under his breath.
"You missed the last Quidditch match, we were steamrolled by Ravenclaw without you -- Lana got her points back, by the way -- but the food will be good."
At that moment, Madam Pomfrey decided that their time to visit us was over.
"You've nearly had fifteen minutes, now OUT." She said firmly.
Lana and Ron made their way towards the door, but before they went, they bid us goodbye, leaving only us and Hermione. She pulled herself closer to me and whispered in my ear, "I'll see you both at the feast, right?"
"Absolutely, 'Mione." I whispered back. "We'll be there."
She smiled adorably as she hugged me one last time and bid both me and Harry goodbye.
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The following evening, Harry and I were discharged from the hospital wing, since we were allowed by Dumbledore. As we made our way in, my grandmother, who spotted us coming in, smiled at us. We arrived at the Gryffindor table, where Hermione smiled and ushered for me to join her. Harry sat at the other side with Ron, his back facing Lana's at the Ravenclaw table.
Professor McGonagall clinked her spoon to her glass and the crowd fell silent. Dumbledore rose from his seat and began his speech.
"Another year gone! And now, as I understand it, the house cup needs awarded and the points stand thus. In fourth place: Gryffindor, with 312 points!"
All of us at the Gryffindor table slowly clapped as a medium applause came from the table.
"In third place: Hufflepuff, with 352 points!"
The applause for the Hufflepuffs was a bit louder than ours, have to admit, but good on them.
"In Second place: Ravenclaw, with 476 points!" From what I can see, Lana's house was cheering for second place, but Lana was still looking worried for us.
"And in first place,with 522 points, Slytherin House!" Nobody but the Slytherins cheered when they were announced. From the table, Malfoy shot a mean look at us as Hermione looked a bit down. I took my arm and put it on her shoulder, causing her to feel a bit better with a small smile on her face.
"Yes, well done, Slytherin, well done." Dumbledore said. "However, recent events must be taken into account and I have a few last minute points to award." The crowd fell silent as he announced this last minute change.
"First to Mr.Ronald Weasley and Miss Lana Lovegood." Ron and Lana looked up to watch the Headmaster announce what they did. " For the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor and Ravenclaw House fifty points."
The other Gryffindors went wild as Ron grinned wildly. "My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall's giant chess set!" Percy was yelling at the other prefects.
"Don't forget my twin sister, Percy!" I yelled.
"Second... to Miss Hermione Granger." Dumbledore continued as Hermione blushed and grasped my hand once more. "For the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor fifty points." Hermione wrapped her arms around me and buried her face in my chest as she cried tears of joy. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her forehead.
"Third... to Mr. Y/N Lovegood." Dumbledore announced my name as I looked up to meet my grandfather's gaze. "For facing evil head on and never faltering in it's way, I award Gryffindor fifty points."
The Gryffindors cheered even more as my name was announced to the masses of the Great Hall. Hermione looked up to me and kissed me on the cheek once more as Ron and Harry ruffed my blonde hair a bit.
"Fourthly... to Mr. Harry Potter." Dumbledore sounded like he was finished as the room went silent once more at mention of the Boy who Lived. "For pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor sixty points."
The noise was now deafening in the hall as all the Houses but Slytherin cheered for Harry. Ron was being ruffed in the hair by one of his brothers as he was doing the same to Harry. Ravenclaw and Gryffindor were now nearly tied with Slytherin.
Dumbledore raised his hand one final time as the room went silent again.
"There are all kinds of courage." Dumbledore said. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."
The Gryffindors exploded with joy as Neville went pale with shock. Gryffindor had won the House Cup with Ravenclaw in second. Even though Lana was in second place, she still cheered for the rest of us.
"Which means," Dumbledore said. "We need a little change in decoration."
With the clap of his hands, the banners above us turned from green and silver to red, yellow, blue and bronze. From a distance, I could see Draco go paler than someone affected by a Full Body-Bind curse. Snape was shaking hands with McGonagall with a forced smile.
Best. night. Ever.
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The next day, our exam results came out. Lana and I passed every class with flying colors, although Hermione had the best of all the first year. Harry and Ron even managed to pass with good marks. Neville's Herbology grade made up for his horrible Potions one.
Soon enough, our closets were empty, trunks were packed and Snowball and Patch were with me and Lana as we, Harry, Ron and Hermione were getting ready to leave for home. Hagrid and Professor McGonagall came around as Harry handed Hedwig to a train man. The rest of us waved to the two as they came around before Ron and Hermione boarded the train.
"Come on, Harry, Y/N, Lana." Hermione said.
"One minute, 'Mione." I said as the three of us walked to the pair of them. Harry went to talk with Hagrid while we went to our grandmother.
"I am impressed with the both of you." McGonagall said with a warm smile as we approached her. "Truly your mother's children."
Lana and I smiled back. "Thank you-" Lana went out to say before she paused in her thoughts.
"Oh, don't worry you two." McGonagall said warmly. "You can call me your grandmother if you want, when the three of us are talking or when you're with Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley or Miss Granger. Oh, I do have something to give to you."
She then pulled something out of her pocket and put it in my hand. As we both looked at it, it was a picture of our parents, enchanted to move around. Our parents were happy together joined by four other people, a woman with orange-ish hair, a man who looked exactly like Harry, a man with long, curly hair and someone with scars on his face, kinda reminding me of our Godfather Remus.
"Those are Harry's parents." McGonagall said. "Along with your parents and their friends. Oh, it must be time for you to go home. All the best and enjoy your summer, you two. I will see you here next year."
Our grandmother bid us goodbye as we waved goodbye while Harry joined us from his talk with Hagrid.
"Feels strange to be going home, doesn't it?" Hermione asked us as we entered a empty compartment.
"I'm not going home. Not really." Harry said to us.
"Ohh, right, those Muggles you don't like so much." Lana said. "I do hope they won't be any trouble."
"Shame that you can't use magic underage." I said as Hermione nudged me. "But that doesn't mean you don't have to use it to get them off your back?"
We spent the rest of our time on the train talking among ourselves and playing with Snowball and Patch. Hermione fell asleep with Snowball in her arms and her head fell on her shoulders once more. Lana snickered as she watched and I made a funny face at the others. Eventually I fell asleep until we got to Platform 9¾. As we got there, Patch and Snowball got into our shoulders, Hermione had woken up and we had exited the train and went through the barrier.
Multiple people were saying goodbye to us as the Weasleys came towards us. Before Ron left with the rest of his family, he turned to us. "You must come and stay over the summer. All of you-- I'll send an owl."
"Definitely, mate." I said while Lana nodded happily.
"I'll need something to look forward to at the Dursleys." Harry said.
We then thanked Mrs. Weasley for the Christmas gifts she give us before they left and eventually Harry left with the Dursleys. He gave us a smirk that told us that he was gonna mess with the one named Dudley and we didn't need to read his mind.
Hermione then spotted her parents and before she left with them, she went to hug Lana first and then me.
"Will you write to me this summer?" She asked me softly.
"Of course!" I said. "Everyday, if you want me to."
"That would be amazing! Thank you, Y/N." She said as she separated from me and yelled, "Have a good summer, you two!"
"So, just the two of us now, brother?" Lana asked as she sat down next to me. "Can't wait to see what this summer holds."
"Same here, sis." I said. "Loads to talk about, firstly."
"Oh, definitely." She said with a smirk. "And I nearly forgot, Luna would be with us at Hogwarts next year!"
"Would be nice to have her to talk to as well as the others." I said. "We need to catch up with our dear Luna. Oh, Look, there's Mum!"
Mum came around and called out for us. "Lana! Y/N!" We got up from our spots and rushed over to hug her.
"Oh, I've missed you too, kids." She chuckled. "Now, how about we get home?"
"Yeah, I can't wait to get home!" Lana said.
"Me either, Mum." I said. "But I'm looking forward to our next year too."
'Something tells me it might even be a bit better than our first.' I though to myself.
(A/N: Philosopher's Stone is finished! I can't believe how many people have read this, it truly makes me happy that people like this. I've also decided that I'm gonna change my upload schedule when I begin writing Chamber of Secrets and it won't be put in separate books, but as one continuous story. I am gonna take a while to write Chamber of Secrets but it will be here soon. Thank y'all so much!)
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